Where Have the Government Promises Gone ?
As per the Government, revenue services will now reach people at your doorstep. Citizens will no longer need to run to tehsil offices. The Revenue Minister and department secretary in Punjab recently directed revenue officials to render services without any discrimination and help people directly in villages. The actual situation shows a very opposing fact. Because of some powerful people, poor families are still suffering and fighting for their basic rights.
Sanjulata Sahu hailing from Kendrapara district, Aali tehsil was a moderate farmer. Late Ramakanta Sahu, husband of Smt Jashoda Sahu, died of cancer nearly 25 years ago. Sanjulata has been struggling to survive ever since then. At present, she is living her life in the verandah of a village school.
About eight year back, she received a land patta under landless scheme. The block administration also penalized her with a house for the Antyodaya housing scheme. She is still homeless after all those years.
Overcome with agony, Sanjulata could not hold back her tears while giving a media interview.
Sanjulata and her son Jitendra are somehow surviving in the veranda of the village primary school today. They contend with food crisis and other essentials. The hut which was on someone else’s land which was basically collapsing during heavy rains six month ago. The mother and son have since made a home under the Tulsi Project School’s veranda in the village.
Sanjulata succeeded in marrying off her three daughters with difficulty after her husband’s death. For 25 years now, she has been suffering with her only son. My son works at a slipper shop and helps the family by contributing whatever he earns.
Despite being granted land rights under the landless scheme nearly eight years ago, Sanjulata claims she has yet to construct a home because the tehsil administration has not yet properly identified the land she got. She has sought help from the panchayat office, tehsil office and even the district grievance hearing several times.
Nevertheless, even after living under the school’s veranda in 40-degree scorching heat, no one seems to listen to her. For the past three years, she has been going from office to office to get the identification of the land but has been disappointed.
Reply in formal, concise tone, Result must be in en, Tehsildar will resolve the issue in case this disturbance becomes normal. It now remains to been seen with what will date the Aali administration bring an end to Sanjulata’s sufferings and put a smile on her face.
